Milan puts deals on hold, but will go back in for Sporting ace in January | OneFootball

Milan have placed Gonçalo Inácio at the top of their list of priorities to strengthen the defence and will try again to sign the Portugal international in the January transfer window. The Rossoneri even submitted a €40 million bid for the centre-back in the final days of the transfer window, but the deal ultimately did not go through.

According to Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Milan board is prepared to continue investing heavily in Ruben Amorim's squad, after he took charge of the team this summer. The club spent more than €150 million during the transfer window that closed last Tuesday in Italy and came close to reaching €200 million.

Part of that investment could have been allocated to Gonçalo Inácio, as Milan are said to have put €40 million on the table for the SAD led by Frederico Varandas. Sporting’s initial response was reportedly positive, but the defender’s departure depended on one condition: the Lions needed to find a replacement capable of filling the spot left by the current captain.

As that alternative was not found, Sporting ended up keeping Gonçalo Inácio at Alvalade and Milan saw their chance of completing the deal this summer slip away. Even so, the interest remains, and Ruben Amorim continues to view the defender as a top-priority solution to strengthen the back line.

The defender, meanwhile, is protected by a contract with Sporting valid until 2030 and has a release clause set at €60 million. The Italians are therefore expected to prepare a fresh move in January, at a time when they may once again try to convince the Lions to open the door to the centre-back’s departure.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.